


Later

by Himeneka



Series: How it's done [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Fix-It, Gen, Time Travel, Trolling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-03-25 23:33:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13845363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Himeneka/pseuds/Himeneka
Summary: Fugaku was irritated. Someone seemed to think they could do a better job than him at being Hokage.





	1. Underneath

Fugaku was irritated. Someone seemed to think they could do a better job than him at being Hokage. It wouldn’t be so annoying if he wasn’t increasingly (and depressingly) certain they were right. 

When Sarutobi had so unexpectedly offered him the hat, he had vaguely alluded to it, saying that some things were better left alone. But Fugaku couldn’t let himself fall into the same complacency. True, the Elemental Nations were at peace these days, even Kiri had been less hostile for the last couple of years, but there was no guarantee that it would continue so, and Konoha couldn’t afford to relax. They had taken heavy losses during the Third War, then the Kyuubi attack. Being understaffed was one of the reasons he had to put up with some people who may otherwise have irked him, like his ANBU commander. 

He didn’t really doubt the Hatake’s loyalty (or he would have found a way to replace him, understaffed or not). It’s just that he always seemed to know more than Fugaku did, and never took him all that seriously. Before he snapped at the Copy Nin for his laid-back manners, though, he had taken the time to check his files… and the dressing-down he so wanted to say had been left unvoiced. 

Hatake might look like a lazy pervert, Fugaku wasn’t too sure, but  _ hell _ did he know his job.  _ All  _ of his missions for the last four years and running had been not only classified as success, and often exceeding expectations, but as “no casualties”. Some of his subordinates had been wounded, true, but none had died. Fugaku hadn’t even known it was possible in ANBU, usually the one division with the highest mortality rate. Given the manpower shortage, Hatake’s ability to keep his colleagues alive was a gift, and he couldn’t afford to piss the man off… too much.

His one weakness was his adopted son. By all accounts, Hatake was extremely devoted to Naruto, and while Fugaku could appreciate a man putting his family first, he would have to do something about Konoha’s jinchuuriki. He was a classmate of Sasuke’s, and Fugaku could grudgingly grant that it was still a bit too soon to begin his training to master the power of his Bijuu, as it was said to be grueling, but it would have to happen eventually, and he wasn’t sure how Hatake would take it. Scratch that ― he was entirely sure he would take it very, very badly. 

But those were tomorrow’s worries ― for now, at least, maybe the undefeated Hatake would be able to catch his mysterious “advisor”. 

It had begun small, but bold, in a way. Some notes in the margin of some missions reports, in an messy, scrawly handwriting, with a bit more information on the mission than what his shinobi had collected. The same kind of annotation had then begun to appear not on the reports, but on the missions’  _ proposals _ , before they even had the  _ time _ to be classified. Remarks on the asking price, notes on the reputation of the client, details that would  _ matter _ to gauge exactly how to deal with each mission. Then it had been suggestions of affectation ― which of his shinobi, alone or in combinations, would likely be the most apt to complete the mission in the least time. With  _ arguments _ , the kind of arguments that denoted a greater familiarity with them than Fugaku had. 

As former Chief of Police, Fugaku had been more confronted to off-missions shinobi and to civilians during his later years, just before entering office as Godaime. It was galling to see someone else know HIS shinobi better than he did. It also gave him suspicions about the identity of his mysterious helper. His planned meeting with Hatake could kill two birds with one stone, but if as he thought the Copy Nin had been slipping him advice, he’d have to justify himself, for once. Fugaku could have listened without the need for a smoke and mirrors game.

He stood up straighter as the Hatake came to his study, as composed as always. 

“Hatake. I have a mission for you.” He observed the man’s reaction closely as he continued. “For the last four months, someone has found a way to write comments on classified materials. Not only were the documents themselves highly confidential, the notes added prove that the writer has access to even more information. While the intent seem to be benign, even helpful on occasion―” he could be gracious about it, after all, “―the very existence of a security leak poses an obvious threat.”

He could have ignored it longer, after all he had done so for months, but… The last tip on affectation had suggested that he gave Itachi the escort mission to Kiri, and if his mysterious maybe-benefactor was following his not-yet-thirteen-year-old son, he  _ wanted _ to know it. Itachi may be in ANBU and fully capable of defending himself, but he was his son first. 

“I want to know who is doodling in the margins of  _ my _ files.” Hatake was as attentive as ever, but he seemed amused by the whole thing, and Fugaku’s eyes narrowed in irritation. He extended several examples of documents that had been tampered with, and added, “I’ll expect an answer by the end of the week.” More than time enough for Hatake to confess if all he needed was a little push. “Dismissed.”

Hatake saluted without a word, and left the room unhurriedly. 

The following day, he almost expected a sign already, but there were no notes, no scrawly ink in any margin. Fugaku almost missed it. He went home disappointed. Sai was waiting for him, though, and he spared a small, approving smile to his own adopted son. 

He hadn’t been too sure what to do when the kid had appeared on his doorstep four years earlier, looking lost, holding a note begging Fugaku to take care of the child. He might have just foisted him on the orphanage if the note hadn’t ended with the three tomoe of a Sharingan. When he had activated his dojutsu, another line had appeared, merely repeating “please”, but that line was enough to attest that the sender was of his clan, and if someone suddenly couldn’t take care of his bastard, well… he was clan head, and any Uchiha had the right to his protection. Maybe adopting had been a bit much, but Fugaku hadn’t regretted it ― it had been good for his eldest and youngest sons, and Sai himself he had grown to care for as if the kid was his by blood. 

He was holding a letter for him, though, and Fugaku frowned when he took it.

“Who gave you that?”

“There was a woman in the market who said someone had asked her to give it to me for you to read,” answered Sai. “I followed her after, but she didn’t seem like a shinobi ― she’s the daughter of a passing spice merchant from Suna, Hotaro-san. I don’t think she knows more.”

And if a shinobi had approached her under a henge, a description would be useless. Fugaku sighed, but when Sai looked crestfallen, he smiled at him again. 

“It’s alright, you did good. It’s not your fault someone’s being troublesome.”

Sai nodded, reassured, and left him respectfully to his privacy.

Fugaku eyed the missive with distrust. Given the timing, he had his suspicions about the content, and indeed, it seemed his mysterious writer had become more talkative.

 

_ Uchiha,  _

_ I do understand it’s annoying not to know, but believe it, it’s more annoying for me than for you. There’s actually a reason I haven’t tried to meet you yet, so sorry not sorry, but not today. _

_ But you do have a point, Konoha first, alright. So I’ll make you a deal. If you don’t try to guess more, I promise I’ll tell you who I am before the end of the year or the day the Three Sannin come back to Konoha, whichever comes first. If you accept, just mark Kakashi’s mission as success, I like his perfect record. If you don’t, I’ll just stop writing in your margins (and you still won’t know who I am). _

_ Best wishes,  _

_ Someone who’d like to be left in peace just a bit longer. _

_ PS: You really should send Itachi, he would have a chance to make friends with their Kage. Kisame’s not a bad guy to know.  _

 

Fugaku gritted his teeth in frustration, but his decision was already made. Those comments were  _ useful _ , just as Kakashi was too annoyingly useful to pressure him for nothing, and at least he had a little something, a deadline to his curiosity ― one eight months ahead, but it would have to do.

Or so he thought, until an excited guard rushed in one day, at the end of the summer, to tell him that the Three Sannin were at Konoha’s gate.


	2. Age is just a number

Shikaku was as professionally curious as the rest of his colleagues, but to everyone’s disappointment, the Godaime had declined to comment on yesterday’s arrival of three of the most famous jounin Konoha ever produced, with an Uchiha back from the supposedly dead.

Another time, someone might have pressed. Tsume was too loud mouthed to behave, and Hiashi too entitled to shut up. But there was something… _off_ in the way Fugaku was behaving.

His mood was plainly _weird_ , and Shikaku wasn’t even sure their usually so duty-driven Hokage had followed that seriously today’s full council session. He was even beginning to wonder if Fugaku wasn’t just _hung over _, as absurd as the notion could sound when applied to the stuck up Uchiha.__

__But as the session drew to a close, Fugaku asked some of the clan heads to remain behind for some unspecified business. Once they were behind closed doors again, Fugaku dismissed his ANBU, getting everyone’s attention in the same move. And then he sighed, sagging in his seat, not even pretending to keep his composure as he put his head in his hands, elbows on the table. When he lifted his face again, his lips twitched in visible amusement when he saw the surprised faces of the other clan heads._ _

__“I’ll be brief. You’re all invited to come back here tomorrow, same hour, to discuss three points. Treat it as a thought experiment, if you wish, whatever, just… think on it, okay?” Before Shikaku could even be surprised to hear their Hokage ask for their help instead of order it, he continued._ _

__“First point, what if the Bijuu were not just chakra monsters, but actual sentient beings, with thoughts, feelings, and opinions?” Shikaku lifted an eyebrow at that ― Fugaku was a practical man, something other than the love of philosophical considerations had to have prompted that._ _

__“Second point, what if they were telepathic ― able to commune with each others and with their hosts, no matter the distance?” Shikaku went still as he realized what could have prompted this kind of questioning, and felt his eyes go a little wider._ _

__“And third point, what if all the jinchuuriki were capable of time-travel?” finished Fugaku. He hadn’t even paused for drama, his tone was merely factual, and that shook Shikaku more than any antics could have done._ _

__“Are you fucking kidding us??” blurted Tsume (who else?), completely forgetting any deference toward their commander-in-chief._ _

__“I almost wish I was,” answered Fugaku in naked honesty. He hadn’t even taken any offense at Tsume’s wording. But he didn’t let the discussion degenerate, either. “I didn’t give your twenty-four hours to think on it to hear your opinion now,” he continued strongly. “We’ll continue this discussion tomorrow. Oh, and for obvious reasons I’ll lift the secrecy law concerning Naruto’s heritage. Effective immediately, concerning you six. Dismissed.”_ _

__After a moment of shocked silence, everyone got up and began getting out of the room. Shikaku tried to trail, though, letting his colleague go out first. Fugaku lifted an ironic eye at him, muttering under his breath, barely low enough for Shikaku to pretend not to hear, “Of course it would be you.”_ _

__“Assuming those hypotheses… How far in time could the jinchuuriki supposedly travel?” asked Shikaku cautiously._ _

__“Seventeen years back at least.”_ _

__That was scaringly precise for a theoretical answer. Shikaku had more questions, but Fugaku repeated, firmly, “Take a day. After all,” he almost grinned at that, “We have the time.”_ _

__And he left._ _

__Shikaku was unsettled as all hell, and when he lifted his eyes to Choza and Inoichi who had both waited for him, he wasn’t the only one. The others hadn’t left, either, awkwardly staying close. They couldn’t just _ignore_ something of that magnitude. But seeing the five of them made him suddenly realize why Fugaku had chosen them to stay behind. He switched to mission mode, always a sure way to regain some solid ground. __

____“Ok. We need information, and we all happen to have children in the same class as Konoha’s jinchuuriki. How about we ask our kids about Naruto, and we meet at my place tonight afterwards?” Now that he had noticed it, it was obvious. And Fugaku himself had a kid in the same class._ _ _ _

____They all nodded, somewhat relieved. Hiashi looked highly skeptical, but then he always had clashed more or less subtly with Fugaku. Shibi was looking much more thoughtful, and Shikaku hoped the son was as good an observer as the father._ _ _ _

____A few hours later, after a crash study of what he could find on the Bijuu, was likely the most awkward parents’ meeting Shikaku had ever seen, as they met again at the doors of the Academy to wait for their kids. It was the first time in ages (if ever) that Shikaku had gone himself, and judging by the shuffling and fidgeting, the others were no better._ _ _ _

____Shikamaru’s class was beginning to appear, the kids still chatting together while getting out. Naruto was talking with animation to Shikamaru and Kiba, and Shikaku knew his son well enough to see his amusement beneath the bored façade. At least until he lifted his eyes and saw the impromptu dads’ reunion (plus Tsume), and he suddenly stood straighter in alarm. Naruto followed his friend’s gaze, and after a glance at the adults, he laughed suddenly, in loud peals barely interrupted long enough to draw breath._ _ _ _

____Shikaku winced, but wasn’t distracted enough to miss the betrayed glare Sasuke sent their way. The kid didn’t even lower his voice to hiss at Naruto, “How did you know?” They both went the same way, toward the Uchiha district, when leaving the school, noted Shikaku, bickering on the way once Naruto was over his breathless laughter. The jinchuuriki spared them a passing grin, but made no move to talk to them._ _ _ _

____Shikamaru had had a dubious glance at his friend, but had quickened his pace to join Shikaku, where he was now standing uncertainly, trying to understand what was happening._ _ _ _

____“Dad?” he asked, and Shikaku sighed._ _ _ _

____“I’ll explain on the way, okay?”_ _ _ _

____Shikamaru was definitely getting more curious than worried. Unfortunately. His son’s curiosity was a rare, but terrible thing._ _ _ _

____“I see you’ve made friends with Naruto. What do you think of him?” Shikaku tried for neutral, but he was afraid he failed._ _ _ _

____“...He’s alright.” Shikamaru was looking at him with growing suspicion. “He talks loudly, but he usually has interesting things to say.”_ _ _ _

____“Interesting how?” Given his adoptive dad, Shikaku was wondering with sudden dread if the kid had already learned to bullshit his way through half-truths and not-quite-lies with the same relish as Hatake senior. Well, as senior as a nearly twenty-two-years-old can be. Damn but Kakashi had been young to be a father..._ _ _ _

____“He's really into kids stories, and he makes up his own about his imaginary friends. Like a blue cat, a one-eyed turtle, a horse or a dolphin, he’s not sure. I mean, how can you get them confused? Or an ox with an octopus body,” Shikamaru shook his head in amused tolerance. “He knows weird stuff, too. When Shino asked him where he learned to make traps with seals, he said a pervert hermit taught him with the help of toads. One day, when Tsunamaru was picking on that pink-haired civilian-born girl for being weak, Naruto told him the strongest ninja he knew was a woman, and even drunk as a princess she could level mountains with her fists. And he said Sakura would be even stronger.”_ _ _ _

____Shikaku could identify two of the sannin without much problem, but he was getting cold sweats at the idea of the possible identities of the “one-eyed turtle” and “ox with an octopus body”. There was too much contradicting lore on feline supernatural creatures to be sure for the cat, but the Sanbi was consistently depicted as resembling a turtle with a closed eye, and the Hachibi as having eight tentacles._ _ _ _

____“He didn’t say anything about a fox?”_ _ _ _

____He must have sounded even tenser than he felt, as Shikamaru was looking at him with sudden awed realization._ _ _ _

____“Hell, no! You mean he was _serious_?!”_ _ _ _

____―――――_ _ _ _

____Inoichi came first, deep in thought, with a copy of Hatake’s psych file. Shibi was second, with a couple of books in hands, that proved to be old tales books. Choza had brought the good sake, with a slightly shocked expression. Tsume came last, trailing a suddenly converted Hiashi, and the both of them opened the bottles first, with wide eyes and faintly trembling hands._ _ _ _

____They began haltingly, trading bits and pieces like survivors of a battle trying to piece back what happened after the dust had cleared._ _ _ _

____“Hinata said the turtle’s name is Isobu. Naruto apparently thinks they would get along swimmingly.” Hiashi looked highly perturbed at the thought._ _ _ _

____“Shino said Naruto talked about a big chakra insect, whose name is Chomei, and he was wondering if it was related to our kikaichu.” Shibi seemed more fascinated than afraid at the idea._ _ _ _

____“Ino said he was first of the class in traps, and that he would be first in history if he didn’t spend so much time arguing with the teacher, especially about the Kage.” Inoichi was looking half-way resigned. “When Ino told him to shut up, since he couldn’t know any better, Naruto answered that he met them, and that they weren’t like the books said. He said the Nidaime may be famous for his inventions, but he regretted half of them. The teacher told Naruto it was good practice to invent stuff for covert mission, but that he should at least try for something believable, so he just shut up.”_ _ _ _

____“Shikamaru said Naruto said their pink-haired classmate would become stronger than Tsunade-sama.” Shikaku’s lips twisted in self-deprecation. “Apparently, Naruto all but outright told our kids he was a time-traveling jinchuuriki, and we didn’t have a clue.”_ _ _ _

____“Actually,” Tsume looked hesitant, which was quite extraordinary in itself, “He didn’t just imply it. Once, Kiba lamented that Akamaru was still so small, and Naruto told him that he could complain all he wanted, soon enough it would be Akamaru who would carry Kiba instead of the reverse. When Kiba asked him how he knew, Naruto said it was because he came from the future, so he had seen Akamaru’s adult size. Kiba got angry that Naruto wasn't taking him seriously, and Naruto apologized and didn't talked about it more.”_ _ _ _

____“His dad once won a free meal by betting Naruto would out-eat Choji,” added Choza. “When Choji wondered how Naruto didn't look it, he answered that it was because of his kage bunshin. Apparently, when he’s being six persons, he sort of needs to eat for six, because eating is one of those things that don’t really transfer well when they dispel. Choji thought Naruto didn't want to disappoint him, and invented that skill.”_ _ _ _

____They contemplated the idea of _more_ than one Naruto in silence for a while._ _ _ _

____“No wonder Fugaku looked a bit off,” summed up Hiashi, with a sudden surge of pity for the man._ _ _ _

____“Do we know when he came back,” asked Tsume, ever the practical one._ _ _ _

____Shikaku snorted. “Easy to guess. Four years ago, in the space of a month, Councilor Shimura died, Hatake adopted the kid, and a series of skilled pranks began that ended up being a huge benefit for the village’s moral and unity. According to Fugaku, that time-jump spanned seventeen years. Naruto was twenty in a three-years-old body.”_ _ _ _

____Inoichi laughed softly. “Is it strange that I actually find the idea of time-travel more believable than Hatake suddenly developing terrific parental skills?”_ _ _ _

____Tsume sniggered, and Shibi grinned a bit._ _ _ _

____“He cheated. That explains it.”_ _ _ _

____“I don’t want to sound callous,” said Choza cautiously, “But Naruto isn’t just a child ― or a man ― he’s host to the Kyuubi. In light of what we learned of the Bijuu, the Kyuubi may be more than a mere monster, but I have to ask. In case of _another_ confrontation, what could we do?”_ _ _ _

____“Forget it,” answered Shikaku a bit flatly. “Whatever the Bijuu want, they get.” Seeing the vaguely indignant face of Hiashi, he explained with some tiredness, “If the nine greatest chakra beasts in the world are sentient, friends, telepathic, in harmony with their host, and capable of _bloody time-travel_ , we would be fucked no matter what. Naruto came back in time years ago, apparently informed the Hokage yesterday at best, he would not have decided to talk if he wasn’t completely prepared for the consequences. I don’t know why he came back in time―”_ _ _ _

____“War killing almost everyone, apparently,” interjected Tsume. Shikaku winced, but went on._ _ _ _

____“―but given the personal cost he must have endured, he would have made damn sure there was no way he could lose this time. So if we can’t win a fight, we don’t _start_ a fight.” Choza wasn’t particularly disappointed by that, more satisfied, in fact. He didn’t want to confront Naruto, but the others might have needed to hear their most respected tactician clarify that point for them. _ _ _ _

____“He didn’t tell the Hokage earlier, but he told the Hokage’s son. All of our kids.” Hiashi was still looking rather shocked, less at the news itself and more at the outrageously ballsy move of spilling all the truth to children when trying to keep a potentially deadly secret from the adults._ _ _ _

____“We wouldn’t have believed it,” pointed Inoichi. “We didn’t believe, because I’m almost sure our kids did talk about it and we just discarded it, saying ‘That’s nice, sweetie,’ during dinner and moving on. And anyway our kids didn’t believe it, either. Naruto told the truth, but never tried to convince them it was the truth.” What more efficient way to lie?_ _ _ _

____“If it’s the truth,” commented Shibi serenely. Facing their incredulous stares, he lifted his own eyebrow. “I know Fugaku suggested it, but he could also be mistaken. There are no proof.” Not that he doubted it, really ― it explained so much._ _ _ _

____No one graced this with an answer. The hour was late, the day had proved unexpectedly trying, and they still hadn’t progressed that much on what kind of advice their Hokage might want from them._ _ _ _

____“Did anyone catch the Kitsune’s name, with all that?” asked Tsume almost idly._ _ _ _

____“Yes.” Shikaku’s eyes were closed, his head slightly bend toward his hands as he was reviewing all the information they got through their kids. “Kurama.” He opened his eyes, still unfocused. “The Kyuubi’s name is Kurama.”_ _ _ _


End file.
